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Photographs © Tim Hamill
DAN, METAL MASKS, Liberia and Ivory Coast
There are regional variations among the masks of the Dan people who live in the western part of Ivory Coast and eastern Liberia but they are generally characterized by a concave face, a pointed chin, a protruding mouth, an upturned nose and a high-domed forehead.
Now used principally in performance for tourists, the various masks had traditional functions ranging from entertainment to initiation to social control.
We recommend an excellent chapter on the masks of the Dan people, including the various styles and their functions, in The Tribal Arts of Africa by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart.
These modern examples in metal were probably never worn and were made to be sold.
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